Trim strip



`Iune 30, 1964 A. sHANoK ETAL TRIM STRIP Filed NOV. 14, 1956 FIG. I.

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K O N A H S M A H A R B A VICTOR SHANOK JESSE SHANOK BY M United States Patent 3,138,834 TRIM STRIP Ahrmam Shanok, Victor Shanok, and .lesse Shanolr, all of 862 65th St., Brooklyn, N.Y. Filed Nov. 14, 1956, Ser. No. 622,205 1 Claim. (Cl. 2074) This invention relates to a moulding or trim strip and more particularly to a strip comprised of a plastic encapsulated ribbon material.

Moulding or trim strips of the character indicated are presently known and in use. Such strips comprise a ribbon of foil or the like completely enclosed and encapsulated wlthin a shell or sheath of transparent or translucent resinous material such as for example a thermoplastic. In practice for example, it has been found advantageous to extrude a sheath of transparent thermoplastic material about a ribbon of aluminum foil thus forming a continuous flexible strip simulating in appearance a conventional chrome or stainless steel strip and having similar functional and decorative utility. It has however been found that these trim strips possess certain limitations in handling and use due to the tendency of the sheathing material to separate away from the foil ribbon core and to delaminate therefrom when the trim strip is flexed, deformed or bent particularly in a direction transverse to the principal or longitudinal axis of the trim strip.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a trim strip of the general character indicated which may be subjected to flexure or deformation as indicated without delamination or separation of the sheath material from the core which it surrounds.

Another object of this invention is to provide a trim strip of the character indicated which may be readily and economically manufactured on a large scale particularly by means of the plastic extrusion process and wherein the ribbon core material is more firmly and securely disposed within an encapsulating sheath, said composite body being capable of withstanding the flexure and deformation encountered in shipment, handling and use without delamination of said sheath from the core material which it encloses and without affecting the desired appearance and function of the strip.

A further object of this invention is provide a trim strip of the general character indicated having a shape or conguration which it has been heretofore impractical or impossible to achieve by means of conventional methods and arrangements.

Other and further objects, benets and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the description thereof contained in the annexed drawings, specications and claim or will otherwise become obvious. It will be understood that the invention herein disclosed may be employed for other purposes for which the structure and arrangement are adapted.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIGURE l is a top plan view of a portion of trim strip material such as is illustrated in FIGURE 2, partly broken away, to show the disposition of the core ribbons and web in accordance with the present invention,

FIGURE 2 is a cross-section of a T-shaped strip in accordance with the present invention showing the disposition of the stem as deflected, by means of broken lines, and

FIGURES 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 are cross-sections of other forms of trim strip in accordance with the present invention.

Referring now to FIGURES 1 and 2, the moulding or trim strip comprising the present invention is designated generally by the numeral 10 and is seen to comprise a` sheath 11 which homogeneously and completely surrounds a core 12 of ribbon material which extends therethrough 3,138,834 Patented June 30, 1964 "ice longitudinally in the direction of the principal axis of the strip. In typical practice, the shell 11 is comprised of a thermoplastic material, such as for example, cellulose acetate or cellulose acetate butyrate. The thermoplastic material is passed through an extrusion machine and is extruded about a ribbon or core of material such as for example, aluminum foil which is simultaneously fed through the head of the extrusion machine. The plastic material is thus caused to completely, integrally and homogeneous- 1y surround and encapsulate the foil ribbon and forms a sheath or shell thereover. By this method strips of extensive length may be formed which are subsequently cut to desired length. When aluminum foil ribbon is used as a core material in conjunction With a water white or clear resin shell, the resulting strip presents the appearance of similarly shaped chrome or stainless steel strips. Other materials and colors may be employed to produce highly decorative effects and the strips irid numerous functional and aesthetic applications. Thus for example, gold or brass effects are readily achieved in the strip by merely forming the shell of a transparent amber colored plastic. By the above method, strips having a wide variety of shapes, configurations and cross-sections may be formed either, by providing an appropriately shaped opening in the extrusion die or by shaping the strip as it emerges from the extrusion head and while the strip is still in thermoplastic condition. It is also desirable, at times, to limit the ribbon core to the face portion of the strip which is exposed to view during use.

The T shaped strip illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2 may be taken as a typical example of a strip of this character. In this particular conguration, a flange or cap 13 is provided from which a medially disposed stern 14 depends in a plane normal thereto. The stern 14 extends longitudinally along the length of the strip 10 and is intended to serve as an anchoring member for attachment of the strip to a support. Since only the upper laminar surface 15 of the cap is normally exposed to View, the ribbon core is limited to this portion of the strip. In the manufacture of this shape it has heretofore been the practice to provide a single ribbon which extends longitudinally through the encapsulating shell or sheath formed by the upper laminar surface 15, lower laminar surface 16 and end beads 17. When this arrangement is ernployed, it has been found that if the stem 14 or either of the arms 18 or 19 of the cap are deflected from their respective planes, as indicated by the broken lines in said FIGURES l and 2 there is a marked tendency of the laminae to break any adhesive bond with the core material and to separate therefrom. This delamination is particularly pronounced at the point at which the stem 14 merges with the lower laminar body 16. The cause for this delamination appears to reside in the different degrees of tension and compression to which the laminae and core are respectively subjected by reason of said deformation.

In order to overcome this undesired separation and delamination as above indicated, the instant invention provides a plurality of transversely spaced ribbons which form the core and extend longitudinally through the sheath. Thus the cap portion 13 of the T shape' shown in said iigures is provided with a core comprised of ribbons 2t) and 21 which extend longitudinally through the strip and are encapsulated thereby. When the sheath is applied to the ribbons comprising the core, as during the extrusion process, the intervening space or region between the confronting longitudinal edges of the ribbons 20 and 21 is filled in with the thermoplastic material which thus forms a web 22 integrally and homogeneously connecting the layers of sheath material on the opposing surfaces of the core ribbons. The ribbons of core material may be closely spaced so that the distance between their confronting longitudinal edges is quite small and is therefore not readily descernible particularly when metallic foil ribbons of high reflectance are employed. AS a consequence of said intervening and interconnecting web formation, the deformation, flexure or distortion of the strip and particularly the transverse deflection or deformation of the strip or a portion thereof does not have any delaminating effect.

FIGURE 3 illustrates another form of trim strip in accordance with the present invention. The trim strip illustrated in said figure is of substantially U shaped cross- Section and comprises the leg members 23 which are interconnected by means of bight portion 24. The U shaped sheath encapsulates the core material comprised of two longitudinally extending and transversely spaced ribbons 25 and 26 which, as stated may advantageously be formed of a metal foil. The confronting longitudinal edges of the ribbons are spaced from each other at the bight portion 24 of the strip so that the plastic material flowing into this space and filling it forms a web 27 which homogeneously and integrally interconnects the outer and inner layers of the sheath material. It will be apparent that if this strip is flexed, distorted or deformed, as for example by the spreading of the legs thereof and their deflection outwardly, the outer layer in the bight region is placed under compression while the inner layer is placed under tension. In any event, there is developed a force which tends to cause the core and layers to draw away from each other and to delaminate. This effect is, however, prevented by the interposition of the interconnecting web which integrally interconnects the laminae at the critical point and thus prevents delamination.

FIGURE 4 illustrates a modified form of the T shape shown in FIGURE 2. In this form, the stem 28 of the shape is additionally provided with a core ribbon 29 which is sheathed thereby. The cap portion 30 of the shape includes the core ribbons 31. It will be noted that the confronting longitudinal edges of the three ribbons are spaced from each other at the point of intersection of the cap with the stem so that a web 32 is formed which interconnects the layers of encapsulating material disposed along the opposing surfaces of all of the ribbon cores. The web 32 prevents delamination with respect to the entire shape.

FIGURE illustrates another form of trim strip shape in accordance with the present invention. The angle shaped strip in this form of the invention includes the legs 33 through which the core ribbons 34 extend longitudinally. A web 35 is formed in the intervening space between the confronting longitudinal edges of the ribbons in the region of rthe intersection of the legs. If the strip is deformed, as for example by the deflection of legs 33 outwardly, the delamination which would normally occur at this intersection if a one piece ribbon were employed is prevented by means of interconnecting web.

FIGURE 6 illustrates a trim strip in the form of an I beam comprising the flanges 36 interconnected by the web 37. The ribbons of core material are disposed in transversly spaced relation in each of the flanges and webs 38 serve to prevent delamination. FIGURE 7 illustrates a semi-circular shape wherein the transversely spaced ribbons 39 form an intervening space within which the web 40 is formed of the encapsulating material. FIGURE 8 illustrates another form of shape which is essentially a series of T shaped sections illustrating the manner in which a strip having a substantial surface area may be formed. The delamination of the shape is prevented by the formation of the Webs 41 in the intervening space between the confronting longitudinal edges of adjacent core ribbons. FIGURE 9 illustrates a further shape in connection with which the instant invention may be employed. The strip illustrated in FIGURE 9 comprises a tubular member in which a metallic core is encapsulated. It has heretofore been impractical if not entirely impossible to form a strip of this character particularly using a metallic foil core material in tubular form due to the problem of introducing the plastic resin into the interior of the tube during the extrusion process. By utilizing a plurality of foil ribbons which are transversely spaced, the plastic material is permitted to flow to the undersurface of the ribbons through the intervening spaces between the confronting longitudinal edges of adjacent ribbons and thus forms the interior Wall of the tube. The webs 42 formed in said intervening spaces integrally interconnect the layers of plastic which form the interior and exterior walls of the tube and prevent their delamination if the tube is distorted, flexed or deformed.

We have here shown and described a preferred embodiment of our invention. It will be apparent, however, that this invention is not limited to this embodiment and that many changes, additions and modifications can be made in connection therewith without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as herein disclosed and hereinafter claimed.

We claim:

A trim strip comprising an elongated member of T shaped cross section formed of a thermoplastic resin material including a horizontally disposed cap portion and a vertically disposed stem portion depending therefrom along the medial region thereof, said cap portion comprising a sheath for an elongated core extending therethrough, said core being formed of a pair of longitudinally extending transversely disposed foil ribbons, the confronting side edges of said ribbons being disposed in spaced relation along said medial region, a web disposed in the intervening space between said ribbons and integrally interconnecting said stem and the thermoplastic material disposed along opposing surfaces of said ribbons, said web being longitudinally co-extensive with said ribbons.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,770,539 Lockman July 15, 1930 1,992,249 Snyder Feb. 26, 1935 2,330,497 Larmour Sept. 28, 1943 2,348,658 Slaughter May 9, 1944 2,715,089 Michener Aug. 9, 1955 2,774,811 Shanok Dec. 18, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 783,779 Great Britain Oct. 2, 1957 OTHER REFERENCES British Plastics and Moulded Products Trader, February 1933, pp. 394-5596. 

